Leaf-spring lubricator



Dec. 1924- 1,519,758

J. P. COSGROVE LEAF SPRING LUBRICATOR original; Filed Qct. 27, 1921 2Sheets-Sheet 1 4 p-E55: iii-tiff??? 7 20 f/JQNVENTEJH ATTDENEYE Dec. 16,1 924. 1,519,758

J. P. COSGROVE LEAF SPRING LUBRICATOR Original Filed 001;. 2'7, 1921 2Sheets-Sheet 2 FIE-.15. FIElE.

AT T EIE'NEYB' Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOHN P. COSGBOVE, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

nmr-srnmc LUBRIGATOR.

Application filed October 27, 1921, Serial No. 510,808. Renewed April25, 1924.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. Cosonovn, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State ofMassachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Leaf-SpringLubricators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a lubricator adapted to conduct oil to theedge portions of the leaf spring of an automobile, or other vehicle, anddeliver the oil to the crevices between the leaves of the spring in suchmanner that the oil will enter said crevices and lubricate thecontacting surfaces of the leaves.

The invention is embodied in the improvements which I will now proceedto describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a art of this specification,

igure 1 is an edge view, showing a portion of a leaf spring and alubricator embodying my invention, applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view.

Figure 4 is a perspective view, showing a portion of the spring withoutthe lubricator.

Figure 5.is a view similar to a portion of Figure 4, showing the padprotector hereinafter described.

Figure 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a ure 1.

Figure 8 is a sectional view of the lubricator, on the plane indicatedby line 7-7 of Figure 1, the lubricator being spread out.

Figures 8 to 15, inclusive, show certain modifications and separateviews of the wrapper and of the pad portion thereof.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of thefigures.

My improved lubricator comprises an envelope or wrapper including a pad12 of absorbent material such as felt, an envelope 14 for confining thepad in contact with the leaf spring 13, and means for conducting 011section online 7-7 of Figto the pad. As shown by Figure 7, portions ofthe pad bear on opposite edges of the spring so that .oil seepingthrough the pad enters the crevices between the leaves of the spring andlubricates the opposed contacting surfaces of said leaves.

The envelope 14 is composed of a sheet of able material.

Oil is supplied to the pad by an oil cup 17, secured to one end portionof the envelope, and preferably to the corresponding portion of the pad,and a wick 20, which includes end portions arranged to receive oil fromthe cup. Portions of the Wick extend lengthwise of the pad, as indicatedby dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2, and contact with the pad, as shownby Figure 7, the arrangement being such that oil conducted by the wickseeps through portions of the pad hearing on the edges of the spring,and is conducted to the crevices of the spring.

The pad is preferably formed from a single blank of sheet felting,having a longi: tudinal central portion of single thickness located overthe upper side of the spring, the blank being longitudinally folded andstitched to form plaits 12 extending lengthwise of the pad, and securedby stitches 21. The longitudinal edges of the pad are preferablyattached to the envelope by means of stitches 22. .The plaits 12 formthickened edge portions bearing against opposite edges of the spring,and longitudinalwick tubes, through which elongated portions of the wick20 extend, said longitudinal portions being connected by a neck portion20* of the wick at one end of the pad, as shown by Figures 1 and 2. Asindicated by Figures 1 and 7, the wick tubes containing thelongitudinally extending portions, of the wick are located in the edgeportions of the pad which are adjacent to the upper side of the spring,so that the oil which enters the pad creeps downwardly across the edgeportionsof the spring, and thus obtains access to all of the crevices.

The pad is preferably formed to embrace a relatively thin end portion ofthe spring, having a minimum number of leaves, and to extend therefromand embrace a portion of the spring having the maximum number of leaves,and therefore of greater thickness. The envelope is correspondinglyformed, the pad and envelope being wider at one end than at the other,to enable one end to embrace a thin portion, and the other end a thickportion of the spring.

The pad and envelope when used on a spring having the usual leaf clamp,composed of the strip 24 and bolt 25, are so fashioned that they bridgesaid clamp, and are locally bulged outward thereby. The ends of theclamp strip 24, and the head and nut of the bolt 25, present projectionsand angles which are liable to abrade and cut the pad, particularly whenthe latter is made of felt. To prevent injury to the pad by the clamp, Iprovide a pad protector 26, formed to cover the ends of the strip 24.,the bolt and its head and nut, as indicated by Figures 5 and 6. Saidprotector may be pressed from sheet metal, or other suit-able material,and presents smooth.non-abrasive external surfaces which are free fromliability to abrade and cut the portion of the pad which bridges theclam The protector is formed to be dropped oosely on the spring inposition to cover the clamp, and requires no fastening, other than thatprovided by the Wrapper formed by the pad and envelope. The protectorensures reasonable longevity of the pad. When the pad is applied to aspring the only wearing surfaces or projections which it encounters arethose presented by the clamp. When the protector is employed, thesewearing surfaces or projections are rendered harmless.

The oil cup 17 is preferably provided with a nipple 28, projecting fromits bottom, and provided with an oil duct 29, having branches 29 openingon the periphery of the nipple. The preferred connection between the cupand the envelope and pad, is embodied in clamping means associated withthe nip le as follows: The nipple enters alined ori ces formed for itsreception in the envelope and the pad. The inner end of the nipple isrecessed to form an annular edge, adapted to be upset like the end of atubular rivet, to form a setting flange 30. Said flange bears on awasher 31, surrounding the nipple 28, and bearing on the inner side ofthe pad. The bottom of the cup 17 bears on the outer side of theenvelope 14. A washer 32 surroundin the nipple 28, bears on the innerside of the envelope. The portions of the pad and envelope surroundingthe nipple, and the washers 31 and 32, are clamped together by thenipple flange, so that the cup is securely attached to the envelope andpad. The washers may be formed to contact with each other, the washer 31being here shown as provided with a hub 36, hearing on the washer 32,and having openings or grooves the envelope, and adapte 37 which looselyreceive the end portions of the wick so that the capillarity of the wickis not affected by clamping pressure. The duct branches 29 are inalinement with the grooves 37 so that the wick-ends loosely inserted insaid grooves are adapted to receive oil fiowing'from the cup. When thewrapper formed by the envelope and pad are applied to the spring, thenip le flange may bear on the spring, as shown y Figure 7.

Figures 9, 10, 11 and 12 show a' different form of spring, and alubricator which includes an oil cup 17 having a cover 19, and

secured by rivets 18 to the envelope 14, the cup having orifices in itsbottom through which the end portions of the wick extend.

The wrapper, including the pad and the envelope, is shown se arately byFigures 13 and 1 1, and the pad is shown separately by Figure 15.

The plaited edge portions of the pad are so thickened that they areadapted to hold in reserve an ample supply of oil, and deliver the sameto the crevices between the spring leaves. The wick tubes formed by theplaits securely confine elongated portions of the wicking inthe desiredposition, and prevent accidental displacement of said elongatedportions.

I claim:

l. A leaf-spring lubricator comprising, in

longitudinal absorbent wick tubes, at flexible envelope of greater areathan the pad, said envelope being superimposed on the pad, and adaptedto be wrapped around and secured to the spring, and confine the saidthickened portions against the edges of the spring, an oil cup seated on.the outer side of the envelope, near one end and between thelongitudinal edges thereof, and provided with a nipple extending throu hand secured to to discharge oil between the envelope and the centralportion of the pad, and wicking arranged to receive oil from saidnipple, and extending through said wick tubes to supply oil to saidthickened portions, the wicking being confined in operative position bysaid tubes.

2. A leaf-spring lubricator comprising, in combination, an elongated adof absorbent material, having a longitudinal central portion, formed tobe located over the up er side of a spring, and two longitudinal e geportions formed to bear on opposite edge portions of the spring, aflexible envelope of greater area than thegpad, said envelope beingsuperimposed on the pad,and'adapted to be wrapped around and secured tothe spring, and confine. the said edge portions renews against the edgesof the spring, an oil cup seated on the outer side ofthe envelope nearone end and between the longitudinal edges thereof, and provided with anipple extending through the envelope and the central portion of thepad, said nipple having outlet means arranged to discharge oil betweenthe envelope and the pad, clamping means associated with .the nipple,and engaged with portions of the envelope and pad, said clamping meansbeing provided With Wickreceiving means, and Wicking loosely inserted insaid. receiving means, and secured to the edge portions of the pad toconduct oil thereto.

3. A. leaf-spring lubricator comprising, in combination, an elongatedpad of absorbent material, having a longitudinal central portion, formedto be located over the upper side of a spring, and two longitudinal edgeportions formed to bear on opposite edge portions of the spring, aflexible envelope of greater area than the pad, said envelope beingsuperimposed on the pad, and adapted to be wrapped around and secured tothe spring, and confine the said edge portions against the edges of thespring, an oil cup seated on the outer side of the envelope near one endand between the longitudinal edges thereof, and provided with a nippleextending through the envelope and the central portion of the pad, saidnipple having oppositely extending lateral outlets arranged to dischargeoil between the envelope and the pad, clamping means associated with thenipple, and engaged with portions of the envelope and the pad, saidclamping means being provided with wick-receiving openings communicatingwith said outlets, and wiclzing loosely inserted in said openings andsecured to the edge portions of the pad to conduct oil thereto.

4;. In a leaf-spring lubricator, an elongated pad of absorbent material,having a longitudinal central portion, formed to be located over theupper side of a spring, and two longitudinal plaited thickened edgeportions, formed to bear on op osite edges of the spring, and formingongitudinal absorbent wick tubes, extending from end to end of said edgeportions.

5. In combination, a leaf-spring h'aving a leaf-confining clamp, alubricator comprising an elongated pad of absorbent material, having acentral portion located over the upper side of the spring, 'andextending across a portion of said clamp, and two longitudinal edgeportions bearing on opposite edge portions of the spring, and extendingacross other portions of the clamp, envelope or": greater area than thepad, said envelope confining the pad upon the spring, means forconducting oil to the pad, and a protector covering the clamp and havingnon-abrasive external surfaces contacting with the portions of the padwhich extend across the clamp, said protector being confined in place bythe p'ad and the envelope.

6. A leaf-spring wrapper comprising a pad or": absorbent material,formed to be applied to a spring, and provided with longitudinal plaits,wiclring contained in said plaits and projecting therefrom at one end ofthe pad, and an envelope covering one side of the pad and having meanswhereby it may be closed and confined on a spring.

In testimony whereof I have atfiaed my signature.

a flexible

